In the workplace it is known to provide hand washing facilities. In some environments hand washing may be of particular importance. For example in medical environments effective hand washing is of particular importance in order to help prevent the spread of disease or infection. In further environments, such as in factories, hand washing is required after contact with certain materials.
Whilst the population has become more aware, through training, of the importance of hand washing the provision of effective hand washing materials, such as automatic dispensers, has increased. However, it has also been found that in professions where persons are repeatedly washing their hands the repeated, long term, exposure to hand washing agents has led to an increase in occupational dermatitis in amongst such workers. Skin disease is arguably the most common occupational disease, with occupational contact dermatitis (CD) accounting for up to 95% of all occupational skin disease; irritant contact dermatitis accounts for the majority of these cases. Contact dermatitis can have serious adverse impact on social and occupational aspects of life, including lost days at work, and threat to employment.
Irritation may result from unprotected and repeated exposure to irritants such as detergents, soaps, solvents, water, food ingredients, and cutting oils or fluids. Over time, these irritants continuously harm the skin and may eventually predispose to allergic CD, which becomes a chronic condition. However, removing irritants is an impractical and improbable solution in many workplaces afflicted by CD including agricultural workers, beauticians, chemical workers, cleaners, construction workers, cooks, electronics workers, hairdressers, health and social care workers, machine operators, mechanics, metalworkers, and vehicle assemblers. Accordingly, even when a person experiences occupational dermatitis it is important that the person continues with their hand washing, or exposing their hands to the source of irritation, in order to prevent the spread of infection, disease, or simply to be able to perform their job.
In order to overcome some of the above problems there is provided a system and method for reducing occupational dermatitis whilst ensuring that the person maintain good hygiene and hand washing practices.
There is provided a system for reducing occupational dermatitis at a work place the system comprising at a facility: one or more dispensers configured to dispense a pre-work hand product; one or more dispensers configured to dispense a washing or cleansing product; one or more dispensers configured to dispense a conditioning product; one or more dispensers configured to dispense a post-work product; a dispenser usage monitoring system; each of said plurality of dispensers in communication with the dispenser usage compliance system and configured to provide a signal to the dispenser usage monitoring system, indicative of usage of the dispenser, wherein the dispenser usage monitoring system is configured to determine usage of the plurality of the dispensers against a skin care regime.
The use of the pre-work product provides an effective barrier to the hand washing product which the person will use during the course of their work. The use of the post-work product provides a product to repair any potential damage to the skin caused by the exposure to the hand washing product during the course of the user's work. Advantageously the method allows for the user to continue with their effective hand washing procedures and to use products which are known to be effective. This identifies a best practice routine for workers to adopt in the workplace where they might be exposed to skin irritants.
A further aspect of the invention is the use of monitoring systems for individual users, and groups of users, to ensure compliance of the user with the above identified best practice three wash protocol. Where users, or groups of users, are identified as not complying with the three step skincare protocol appropriate remedial action may be undertaken to help ensure compliance with the best practice protocol across a facility or within a group of one or more users.